ONE of the most pleasing aspects to the spring has been how forward Sir Michael Stoute’s horses have been, with the Master of Freemason Lodge sending out 22 winners already this season. At the time of writing the defeat of ante-post favourite Solid Stone in Saturday’s London Gold Cup has been the only reverse since the weekend, with his other six runners all successful.

That run of form has included listed successes for Queen Power in the Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial and Dream Of Dreams in the Weatherbys Hamilton-sponsored Leisure Stakes at Windsor on Monday, the Group 3 Al Rayyan (Aston Park) Stakes win of Crystal Ocean, and the Lockinge itself, for a remarkable eighth time with Mustashry.